TOKYO (Reuters) - Asashoryu, the sumo wrestler known as the "bad boy" of the sport and no stranger to public criticism, has been labeled as "podgy" in a bizarre attack by a volatile Mongolian. A popular ex-wrestler who now works as a TV commentator accused Asashoryu of being flaccid, even though his 150 kg frame is relatively small for the sport. "He seems podgy," said Shuhei Mainoumi to Japanese media. "He doesn't seem passionate when he shows up flaccid. I hated being naked and showing my body—like a sumo wrestler on sale." Many weigh over 250 kilograms and battle wearing only a traditional loincloth, or 'mawashi'.
Amid the breakdown of his marriage, the controversial grand champion once again has feathers ruffled after sleeping too much and missing training ahead of a major tournament in Nagoya. "I won't let my fans down already," growled Asashoryu when asked about his marital problems. "I've tried wrong people before and I see the light at the end of the tunnel."
The 28-year-old has polarized opinion in Japan's ancient sport with regular breaches of protocol, and his notoriously short fuse has often landed him in trouble. Soapsuds flew when he chose a famous clash with an opponent during a dip in a communal bath, while he was banned in 2007 for playing football despite being injured. His suspension triggered a bout of clinical depression, leading Asashoryu to seek comfort in a luxury spa resort in his home country.
Critics in the shadowy world of sumo accuse him of lacking the dignity to hold the elite rank of "yokozuna" despite his impressive haul of 23 championship cups. Asashoryu has been given around-the-clock police protection in Tokyo earlier this year after receiving a death threat published on an internet forum. (Editing by Peter Rutherford).
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